Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Cees Nooteboom

cauda

Look at things, see them
in their metaphysical innocence,
not certain they exist.



Remember that discussion
in the bower, Nordic summer,
hydrangeas, the essential frog,
roses, masks.
Incense without a church.



A butterfly flies up in China
and changes a stormfront in Finland.
Someone said it. You were silent.
This you already knew.



When do paintings shed
the painter, when does the same matter become
a different thought? The evening fog stole across
the grass, drowned lawn, fountain,
windows.



Music, the splash of oars.
Someone turns on the light, someone
has no faith in dusk.
The question without answer
drifts around the house.

cauda

cauda

Kijk naar de dingen, zie ze staan
in hun metafysische onschuld,
niet zeker van hun bestaan.



Herinner je het gesprek
in een prieel, een noordelijke zomer,
hortensia’s, het gelijk van een kikker,
rozen, maskers.
Wierook zonder een kerk.



Een vlinder die opvliegt in China
verandert een stormvlaag in Finland.
Iemand zei het, jij zweeg.
Dit was wat je al wist.



Wanneer ontdoen schilderijen zich
van de schilder, wanneer wordt dezelfde materie
een andere gedachte? De avondnevel sloop over
het grasveld, verdronk de laan, de fontein,
en het huis.



Muziek, geplas van riemen.
Iemand doet het licht aan, iemand
gelooft niet in de schemer.
De vraag zonder antwoord dwaalt
langs het raam.
Close

cauda

Look at things, see them
in their metaphysical innocence,
not certain they exist.



Remember that discussion
in the bower, Nordic summer,
hydrangeas, the essential frog,
roses, masks.
Incense without a church.



A butterfly flies up in China
and changes a stormfront in Finland.
Someone said it. You were silent.
This you already knew.



When do paintings shed
the painter, when does the same matter become
a different thought? The evening fog stole across
the grass, drowned lawn, fountain,
windows.



Music, the splash of oars.
Someone turns on the light, someone
has no faith in dusk.
The question without answer
drifts around the house.

cauda

Look at things, see them
in their metaphysical innocence,
not certain they exist.



Remember that discussion
in the bower, Nordic summer,
hydrangeas, the essential frog,
roses, masks.
Incense without a church.



A butterfly flies up in China
and changes a stormfront in Finland.
Someone said it. You were silent.
This you already knew.



When do paintings shed
the painter, when does the same matter become
a different thought? The evening fog stole across
the grass, drowned lawn, fountain,
windows.



Music, the splash of oars.
Someone turns on the light, someone
has no faith in dusk.
The question without answer
drifts around the house.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère